Two Inmates Murdered at Victorville Federal Prison Identified

Brian Kountz was serving eight to 10 years in prison for aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and battery. (photo:Trib.com)

VICTORVILLE:(VVNG.com)- Coroner’s officials have identified two inmates who were found dead at a federal prison complex in Victorville over the weekend as 24-year-old Brian Kountz and 49-year-old Robert Ferguson.

On June 22nd, the prison facility located on Air Expressway, in the Federal Bureau of Prison complex in Victorville was placed on lockdown after the daily count had concluded that two inmates were unaccounted for. The location has four facilities that house an estimated 4,700 inmates, approximately 1,300, of whom are considered high-security inmates. It is unclear which of the four facilities the incident occurred in.

When the second count came back with two unaccounted for inmates, the first thought was that the two inmates had somehow escaped. The Correctional Officers were then required to conduct bed checks to look for any signs of the inmates or anything otherwise out of the ordinary. When they reached the cell of the inmate that was involved in the inmate murders the Correctional Officer searched the cell finding two bodies under his bunk. The two caucasian inmates that were found dead, were said to have been strangled one at a time late Saturday night, then placed under the bunk, and covered in a sheet.

The recent deaths in the Victorville prison are making the public concerned about how this is happening within prison walls. The public residing in outlying areas are said to be safe due to armed security and the high voltage barbed wire surrounding the premises. Many still question if the prisoners should be offered an increased amount of protection from each other.

These two murders, will make five deaths in this particular complex in less than a year. Two of the prior deaths were prisoners beaten to death in their cells and one of whom was found dead after an apparent suicide.

According to authorities, gang activity has not been confirmed to be a factor in the deaths. The FBI is handling the investigation to the deaths as homicides. Coroner’s department is currently conducting an investigation and awaiting results on the autopsies.